Packaging for Small Bottles

ABSTRACT

A packaging arrangement ( 1 ) for bottles ( 12 ) of small volume, having a first packaging element ( 2 ) and a second packaging element ( 3 ), wherein each of the first and the second packaging elements ( 2, 3 ) has at least two depressions ( 4, 4 ′) spaced apart from each other and formed in a dimensionably stable manner, whose openings are surrounded by strips ( 10, 10 ′) with substantially level surfaces, by means of which the packaging elements ( 2, 3 ) are connected with each other in a manner sealed against fluids and releasably. The depressions ( 4, 4 ′) are equipped with spacing ribs ( 5, 5 ′), which are distributed over the circumference, which fix the bottles and the closures in place.

The present invention relates to packaging arrangements for bottles of small volume, such as ampules, having a first packaging element for receiving the lower sections of at least two bottles, and a second packaging element for receiving the upper sections of at least two bottles, wherein each of the first and the second packaging elements has at least two depressions spaced apart from each other, which depressions have been formed in the packaging element in a dimensionably stable manner and their openings are surrounded by strips with substantially level surfaces, wherein the first and second packaging elements are connected with each other by these strips in a manner sealed against fluids and releasably.

Bottles with a content relating to health, for example toxic or zytotoxic substances, etc., constitute a considerable risk for unprotected personnel handling them. In the course of the filling process of the bottle it can occur that the exterior of the bottle is wetted by the contents, which holds the danger of contamination in the course of handling it. Furthermore, during transport there is also the danger of a break or other damage to the bottle with the result that the contents run out.

For example, a transport package was proposed for bottles with toxic contents by Utility Model AT 4611U, for example, which is used both for the protection of the bottles during transport and for the protection of the personnel handling them. The packaging includes a container for receiving the bottle and a locking cap for the tight sealing of the container, in which both the container as well as the locking cap are provided with spacing ribs distributed over its interior circumference, which maintain a received bottle at a distance from the interior circumference of the container and provide clamped seating, wherein the locking cap furthermore extends over a closing device of the bottle.

Zytotoxic substances in particular are often decanted concentrated and in small amounts and are transported. The substances are removed only directly prior to their use, i.e. the treatment of the patient, and are diluted for purposes of infusion or injection. Ampules capable of containing 1 to 20 ml, for example, are employed as containers for these substances. Ampules, such as ampules which can be pierced, made of glass or plastic, are preferably employed and are also called vials. These ampules are closed by means of a rubber stopper, which is held in place by means of a flanged cap made of aluminum or plastic, and can be pierced by means of a hypodermic needle, for example, for removing the contents from the bottle. Furthermore, adapters are available, which are specially provided for removing the contents of such ampules.

The packaging described in AT 4611U has not been shown to be practical for such ampules, since it is difficult to manipulate because of the small dimensions of the bottles.

So-called blister packs have proven themselves secure and useful packaging arrangements for a multitude of pharmaceutical units, such a tablets, capsules, suppositories, etc. These packaging arrangements have a bottom part with depressions formed therein, which receive the individual pharmaceutical units. The bottom part is closed off by means of a substantially flat cover layer. For removal, the bottom of the depressions is pushed inward, the pharmaceutical unit contained therein is pushed against the cover layer, which tears open and makes removal possible. As a further characteristic it is possible to provide pre-weakened lines in the strips between the depressions of such blister packs in order to make possible the separation of the pharmaceutical units in the packages state. Furthermore, blister packs are known in which the cover layer can be removed by drawing it off for removing the contents.

The packaging in European Patent EP 0 703 157 represents a further development of known blister packs and provides, in place of the substantially flat cover layer, a cover layer in which depressions have also been formed, so that hollow spaces are created when the blister pack is closed, in which the pharmaceutical units are located. Depending on the shape of the depressions, this packaging is intended to be suitable, among other things, also for receiving ampules. However, because of the shape of the depressions alone, in connection with such packaging it is not assured that ampules with, for example, health-relevant materials contained therein, such as toxic or zytotoxic substances, can be dependably contained during transport and subsequent manipulation.

It is therefore the goal of the invention to create a packaging arrangement for bottles of small volume, such as ampules, which can contain at least two such bottles and assures improved holding of the bottles during transport and subsequent manipulation. The invention has the further goal to make available such a packaging arrangement, which can be produced to be liquid-tight, and therefore secure against spilling, and economical in regard to material and costs.

These goals are attained with a packaging arrangement of the type described at the outset which, in accordance with the invention, is distinguished in that the depressions are equipped with spacing ribs distributed over their circumference, which center the bottle and the closures at a distance from the interior circumference of the depression and maintain them clampingly seated.

In a preferred embodiment of the packaging arrangement, the spacing ribs are formed by indentations stably formed in the wall of the depression.

In this way a packaging arrangement is created which, based on the distancing structure, prevents to a large extent a surface contamination of the bottle to reach the exterior over its entire area and offers spillage protection in case of damage to the bottle. Furthermore, the holding of the bottle during transport, as well as when removing the second packaging element constituting the top of the bottle in the course of separating the bottles and further manipulation of the bottle in a partially packaged state, is improved.

It is particularly advantageous in any case if, in accordance with a further characteristic of the invention, the height of the depression in the first packaging element is less than the height of the bottle to be received. Because of this, the neck of the bottle is easily accessible after the second packaging element has been opened, without it being necessary to remove the bottle from the first packaging element.

The depressions substantially have the shape of a cylinder or a truncated cone. It is preferable in any case that the clear width of the openings of the depressions in the first packaging element be of such a size that the placement of customary adapters on the ampules, for example, is possible without it being required to take the ampule out of the first packaging element.

In the packaging arrangement in accordance with the invention, the strips located between the depressions preferably have pre-weakened lines, such as perforations, in order to make the separation of packaged bottles possible, for example by simply breaking them off.

The pre-weakened lines in the strip usefully extend through the center and parallel with the respective outer edges of the first and/or the second packaging element.

In order to make the removal of the second packaging element easier during opening, the second packaging element preferably has a greater width in comparison to the first packaging element and has notches or recesses at regular distances on its longitudinal edges, and is embodied with wings.

The material from which the packaging material in accordance with the invention is made is preferably a translucent or transparent plastic material. By means of this it is possible to check the integrity of the bottle and its filling state from the outside.

Dimensional stability should be mentioned as a further property of suitable plastic materials in order to prevent a deformation of the depressions by pushing in, and therefore possible damage to the bottle contained therein. Furthermore, in case of a contact with the toxic contents, be it because of contamination of the outer surfaces of the bottle during filling, or because of damage, the plastic materials must be inert and stable in respect to the contents. Furthermore, plastic materials which can be easily worked are usefully selected, such as, for example, thermoplastic materials, from which the packaging elements and the depressions provided therein can be produced by customary methods of plastic technology, such as extruding, pressing, extrusion molding, deep drawing, etc.

Polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, polyamide, polyethylene and polypropylene, acrylate-butadien-styrene copolymer, impact-resistant polystyrene, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, as well as graft copolymers of styrene and acrylonitrile on acrylic rubber are for example considered as plastic materials.

In a preferred embodiment, depressions formed in the packaging in accordance with the invention are provided in the corner areas of the first and/or the second packaging element, whose height is less than the height of the depressions for receiving the bottles. During stacking, these depressions assure that prior to their use the packaging elements are maintained at a predetermined spacing in respect to each other and in this way deformations of the depressions for receiving the bottles are also prevented.

When packing the bottles, they are placed, automated in the known manner, into the first packaging element. Thereafter the second packaging element is placed, exactly aligned, over them and the two packaging elements are releasably connected at the strips in a known manner. The connection of the two packaging elements is such that an intact connection, which does not come apart because of normal stresses during transport and handling, is assured, which is furthermore liquid-tight, but that at the same time the release or pull-off of the second packaging element from the first packaging element is possible without an excessive use of force.

A sterilization by customary means, for example UV radiation or ionizing radiation, of the individual packaging elements, of the bottles and/or of the filled and closed packaging arrangement is preferably performed in the course of packaging in order to make usable sterile bottles immediately available. Because of this it is possible to avoid the disinfection by wiping of the piercing location in the septum, which had been customary up to now prior to the introduction of the injection needle. Moreover, a sterilization of the sections and of the surfaces in the interior of the packaging arrangement in accordance with the invention is assured by this measure.

The method for packaging bottles of small volume comprises the steps of separating the first and second packaging elements, the insertion of bottles into the first packaging elements, the placement of the second packaging elements on top of the first packaging elements filled with bottles, the connection of the first and second packaging elements, wherein the method furthermore includes one or several sterilization steps, which can be performed on the first and second packaging elements, the bottles, the first packaging elements filled with bottles and/or the packaging arrangement filled with bottles and possibly closed.

The packaging arrangement in accordance with the invention is preferably employed for packaging bottles of low volume, such as vials, with zytotoxic contents.

The filled packaging arrangement in accordance with the invention can be stacked in the customary manner, because of which a placement of several such packaging arrangements in a ready-made super-packaging arrangement, such as packaging in a box, becomes possible.

The instant invention will be further explained in what follows by means of the embodiment represented in the drawings.

Shown therein are in:

FIG. 1, a perspective plan view of a packaging arrangement in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2, a view from above of the packaging arrangement in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3, a view from below of the packaging arrangement in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, sectional views of the hollow spaces created by the depressions along the line A-A, or respectively C to C;

FIG. 6, a sectional view of the depressions provided in the corner areas for improving the stackability,

FIG. 7, an individual element of the packaging arrangement in a perspective plan view,

FIG. 8, an individual element of the first packaging arrangement (without contents) in a perspective plan view,

FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, an individual element of the first packaging arrangement containing a bottle with customary adapters, each in a perspective plan view.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective plan view of a packaging arrangement 1 in accordance with the invention with a first packaging element 2 and a second packaging element 3. Depressions 4, 4′ are provided in the packaging elements 2 and 3. The depressions 4, 4′ have the shape of a truncated cone, as well as recesses 5, 5′ formed in a rib shape along their circumference. Two depressions 6, 6′, preferably embodied in the shape of a truncated cone, are provided in two of the corner areas for improved stacking of the packaging elements.

As represented in FIG. 2, the second packaging element 3 has recesses 7 in its two longitudinal edges, which could also be embodied in the same way as notches (not represented). Wings 8 are formed on both longitudinal edges of the second packaging element 3 by the recesses 7, which make the removal of the second packaging element 3 from the first packaging element 2 easier. The wings can have any arbitrary shape and dimension, as long as they can be grasped by hand or by a tool.

The depressions 4′ are arranged parallel in respect to the longitudinal edges of the second packaging element 3 in two rows, also extending parallel with each other, and spaced apart from each other. The pre-weakened lines 9′ preferably extend centered in the strips 10′ and parallel with the longitudinal edges of a rectangle which could be inscribed in the second packaging element 3.

FIG. 3 shows the packaging arrangement in accordance with the invention in a view from below. As can be seen in this view, the first packaging element 2 is of a lesser width than the second packaging element 3, which opens the possibility of providing the recesses 7 and the wings 8 exclusively in the second packaging element 3.

The first packaging element 2 also has two rows of depressions 4, extending parallel with each other and with the outer edge of the packaging element 2, around whose openings strips 10 are formed. The first packaging element 2 also has pre-weakened lines 9.

Recesses 5, 5′ formed in a rib shape are provided in the depressions 4, 4′, wherein in the preferred embodiment shown respectively five recesses 5 have been formed in the depressions 4 of the first packaging element 2, and respectively three recesses 5′ are formed in the depressions 4′ of the second packaging element 3.

As represented in FIGS. 4 and 6, the bottle 12 is centered and fixed in place at a distance from the interior circumference of the depressions in the hollow spaces 11 constituted by the depressions 4, 4′ by means of the rib-shaped recesses 5, 5′ formed therein. The represented bottle is a conventional ampule which can be pierced.

The packaging arrangement 1 in accordance with the invention makes it possible to separate the bottles 12 in the packaged state. Such a separated element is represented in FIG. 7. The first packaging element 2 corresponding to this separated element is shown (without contents) in FIG. 8.

The openings of the depressions 4 preferably have interior diameters which permit the provision of the bottles 12 with known adapters, for example for removal or for dilution, without it being necessary to remove the bottles 12 from the first packaging arrangement 2, which contributes to the safe manipulation of the bottles 12.

The embodiment described above represents only one possible embodiment. It is thus possible, for example, to embody the packaging arrangement 1 not only rectangularly, but also squarely, and to have a number of depressions 4, 4′ which is different from the number shown. 

1. A packaging arrangement for bottles of small volume, such as ampules, having a first packaging element for receiving the lower sections of at least two bottles, and a second packaging element for receiving the upper sections of at least two bottles, wherein each of the first and the second packaging elements has at least two depressions spaced apart from each other, which depressions have been formed in the packaging element in a dimensionably stable manner and their openings are surrounded by strips with substantially level surfaces, wherein the first and second packaging elements are connected with each other by these strips in a manner sealed against fluids and releasably, wherein the depressions provided between the strips are equipped with spacing ribs distributed over their circumference, which center the bottles and the closures and maintain them clampingly seated.
 2. The packaging arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein the spacing ribs are formed by indentations stably formed in the wall of the depressions.
 3. The packaging arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein the height of the depression in the first packaging element for receiving the lower portion of the bottle is less than the height of the bottle to be received.
 4. The packaging arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein the strips located between the depressions have pre-weakened lines.
 5. The packaging arrangement in accordance with claim 4, wherein the pre-weakened lines in the strips preferably extend centered and parallel with the respective outer edges of the first and/or the second packaging element.
 6. The packaging arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein the second packaging element has a greater width in respect to the first packaging element and has notches or recesses at regular distances on its longitudinal edges, and thus is embodied with wings in order to make the removal of the second packaging element from the first packaging element during opening easier.
 7. The packaging arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein the packaging arrangement is made of a translucent or transparent plastic material.
 8. A method for packaging bottles of small volume in a packaging arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein the method comprises the steps of: separating the first and second packaging elements; inserting bottles into the first packaging element; placement of the second packaging element on top of the first packaging element (2) filled with bottles; connecting the first and the second packaging elements; and sterilization, wherein the step of sterilizing can be performed on the first and second packaging elements, the bottles, the first packaging elements filled with bottles, and/or the packaging arrangement filled with bottles and closed.
 9. (canceled) 